Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-08-19

heard the front door-be1l ring thought
Laurence had come for me and
should soon see him. My heart sunk
within me when l heard his steps re.
turning through the hall.
At dinner Mr.. Rayner said brightly:
''Mrs. Manners wanted you to 90 and
help her prepare for the afternoon s
| festivities, Miss Christie; but we were
not going to let you fag yourself out
laying tables for lot of dirty children,
so l said you should come later" fell
for the moment that l quite disliked
him, though it was really only another
| proof of his kindness and care for me.
After dinner, he himself accompanied
Haidee and me to the High Field,
where the bazar and tea took place;
Mrs. Rayner was not coming until
later. saw Laurence standing out
| side the larger but less snowy marquee;
he looked very grave and gloomy, and
did not come forward toward us i'm
mediately as had expected. Was he
offended because I had not come
earlier? Surely he must have known
how much l wanted to do so! His
elder sister, much to my surprise, came
| out to meet me.
1--WE have been waiting for you such
long time, Miss Christie" she said;
1--WE have kept place for you.'
followed her into the marquee.
We passed the places where cheap
toys, mats, dolls, crochet shawls and
other useful trihes were for sale.
But the custom of former years,
when the sale had been chiefly for the
village people, was not forgotten; and
one end was piled up with undercloth-
ing and children's frocks and q guam
tity of cheap crockery and ironmon-
gerry, the contributions of Beacons-
burgh tradesmen. At this, decidedly
the least interesting corner of the whole
bazar, Miss Reade asked me if l would
mind standing.
1--WE close this part for you, because
you said you would like to have plenty
to DO; and we know you are patient.
think l would rather have sold
some pretty things too; but of course
somebody must sell the ugly ones, and
l looked carefully over the things un-
der my charge when Laurence at last
strolled in and came up to me. He
shook hands with loving pressure,
but he only said:
''How do you do, MSs ChristieP
They expected you earlier.,'
And l felt so much chilled by the
commonplace words and the s'Miss
Christie" that l could scarcely an
swer. But, as he stopped to push un-
der the stall Il box that was sticking out,
he said, in very low voice:
II must speak to you presently. You
must make some excuse to get away.
and I'll watch you and meet you.
have some bad news-at least, don't
know whether you will think it bad
| news"
his whisper got so gruff during those
last words that longed to kneel down
on the ground by him and put my arms
round his neck and tell him not to
mind, whatever it was; but l could only
say softly, as l bent over a bundle Of
night-caps:
"Of course shall think it bad if you
do"
And he just glanced up with look
that made me hold my breath and al
most forget where was, and his lip
touched my frock rs he rose, and
knew that the bad news was still not so
bad as it might be.
Just then Lady Mills and her party
arrived. thought 1 had never seen
any one look so winning as Lady Mills,
herself, with her cream-colored gown
covered with lace and punches OF pale
roses in her hat and on her dress. The
Iahtoc xv,fl ha Aao
too. There were number Of gentle
men with the ladies, and l heard Lady
Mills say that she had given them
strict orders that, after certain time,
they were to buy up all that was left on
the stalls. As for me knew the fine
gentlemen would not want any thing
for sale at my stall, and SO went
quietly on selling to the village people
and doing 3 very good business. How
ever, when the gentlemen did lounge
in, one who was tall and had long
fair mustache looked for long time at
the things in my stall and asked the
price of a tea kettle. thought he was
amusing himself, but he bought it, and
then two more gentlemen came straight
to my corner and one bought a grid
iron and the other soap dish. Then
the first one came back and spent so
long time looking over things that
could not attend to my village custom
ers. Finally he bought toasting fork.
When he had gone away. Laurence
came up again. and he was not at all
amused when l told him about the
funny purchases the gentlemen had
made.
They came again. and some more of
them, too; at last the first one returned
for the third time and bought up every
thing had for sale, including a NUM-
Der of mouse traps.
Presently Lady Mills asked Mrs.
Manners if she could not spare me to
help in the other marquee, and after
looking at me anxiously, as though she
were sending me into the lions den.
Mrs. Manners asked me to 90. But
the other ladies at our stall did not
like it at all.
The other marquee looked like fairy
land. Lady Mills gave me a big
basket of flowers, and told ME to walk
up and down and ask people to buy
them. But did not like that; so I
stood in the corner with my basket,
until the tall, fair man, who had
bought so many things Of me. came
up and gave me half a crown for one
little bud. And then Laurence found
me and never once left my side while
we were in the tent. He told me
every body said ! was the prettiest
girl there, which was, Of course, all
nonsense; but it was very nice to hear
him Sav on When I had oold oil tho
| flowers. he whisrcrod:
- Now let us Sip out, and we can
talk"
So We tucked my basket under ono
of the stalls, and went out of the tent
L - 4 Al 4 4